Local mom’s ride for life

Residents and strangers came together for a great cause on Monday. Rob Saunders and friends came up with an idea to do something wonderful for their friend and neighbor, Charese Foster. Charese was diagnosed last year with invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer) that has also spread to her liver, lungs, lymph system and brain.

Rob wrote, “Charese is 32 years old and has a wonderful husband, John, and three young children. Charese has been through numerous medical procedures and continues to fight for her life. I have watched her fight cancer with courage. I have often prayed for her and wondered how to help. The other night I was pondering and had a crazy thought: What if I called all the neighbors and friends who have motorcycles and we just showed up and took her for a ride around Morgan Valley? Wow, what if I called all my friends from the Ogden area too? Then there would be a lot or maybe a whole bunch of bikes ridden by total strangers who just want to show their support for a young mom/wife who is in a battle for life?”

This beautiful thought grew into a huge event that involved several local riding groups. The groups included Patriot Guard Riders, NUALR (Northern Utah American Legion Riders), Green Knights, RMK, Golden Spike Harley-Davidson, POW MIA Riders and several free riders as well. Morgan residents, businesses and surrounding communities lined the streets with pink balloons and banners and showed their support by wearing pink. A local Facebook group, Morgan Moms, joined with a van covered in streamers and balloons. Fire Department Chief D. Rich drove the fire truck that lead the escort in its entirety.

The groups of riders gathered at 7-11 where everyone signed pink support banners with words of love and encouragement for Charese. There were pink donation jars housed on the front of the fire truck. Taylor Sowder and McKinzie Bingham also carried around donation jars as people arrived. The route went down State Street, Young Street past the Rock Church, eastbound on Hwy 66 to Porterville, westbound on Morgan Valley Drive to Peterson, 4300 North and onto the Old Highway ending at the LDS Stake Center.